Christmas 2007

Well, we had a great holiday season. I love when the kids are out of school (maybe because that means that I'M out of school too!!) and we can sleep in and not do anything we don't HAVE to do! Before Christmas, I helped the wives of the officers that Clinton works with make some signs with vinyl lettering. It's become a tradition that each year, I take my machine over to someones house and everyone brings a board and paint and we craft away! Then we do an ornament exchange and eat lots of good food. These are great women and I'll miss seeing them around town. But, they've made me promise to come back next year... so I'll have to make the trip!

Next, we had a great Christmas with my Mom and her husband Tom coming for a few days. They showed up on Christmas eve loaded down with presents! The kids were so excited to have them come, and more excited as they made trip after trip to bring stuff in! Now... I haven't really gotten into the "Christmas season" this year. We put up a tree with no decorations except the ones the kids made at school this year. They are all in storage and I just couldn't be bothered. Well.. the same theory applies to my gift wrapping. I get paper, wrap the present... and if you're lucky- you get a label with your name on it. If I can't find them, you get a sharpie marker writing your name on it somewhere. My mom makes everything so cute. Here's one of her presents... isn't she cute??

So on Christmas eve... we planned out a fun idea that I heard from a friend and we had a bingo night. We went to the dollar tree and got about $20 worth of little trinkets, wrapped them up and played bingo. The funniest one was the green apple lip balm that Zach got. He wrapped it back up and put it under the tree for my brother Danny... so then Danny wrapped it back up for my brother Mike who came in later. Everyone was trying to get rid of it... until Mike got it and said, "it's just what I need!"

On Christmas morning, we had our traditional homemade cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa and then opened presents! Everyone was very happy with what they got. Of course Clint and I got the camera for each other... which I was using to take photos! Clint had to work on Christmas day from 11am to 10pm, but it was so slow, that he was able to come home for Christmas dinner and bring another officer with him. Afterward, I got a blackmail photo of the two of them playing Zach's new Guitar Hero.

Here are some of the cute Christmas photos and experiments that I've been doing.

So... now we are finished with Christmas and on to the next thing... moving. Clint went over last Saturday and started in Richland. We will go over at the end of the month to join him when our house is completed. I really can't wait! To end... I will put in this very cute poem that my mom wrote when she got home from her trip here. It really tells all the fun stuff we did and I'm going to make a copy to put in the kids memory books.

CHRISTMAS....2007

The day before Christmas...December 24th
Papa Tom and Grandma were headed North.
The Ford Explorer was loaded...don't doubt
If we opened a door things would start to fall out!

Grandma was crowded...snacks at her feet.
Grandpa kept saying, "Turn down that heat!"
Christmas carols kept us merry
Even though we had sooo much to carry.

We had no trouble finding your place
With your help the gifts were unloaded with haste.
Wow! Zach exclaimed, as he looked under the tree
Now there's twice as many gifts for me!

Kate explained to Grandma she wanted a new tradition
So the two of us set off on a mission.
To the Dollar Tree we went
And soon $20.00 we spent.
Grandpa found a Bingo game right away
And with fun gifts wrapped, we started to play.

Everyone, even Danny, was there
All except Dad who was working....no fair!
Some cards were more lucky it seems
And Zach got the present beyond his dreams.

It was Green Apple lip balm and he wanted to share it.
But he couldn't get anyone to see the merit.
He suddenly had an idea so "sick"
He would wrap it up for Danny real quick.
And then, he placed it under the tree
With a Grinchy grin that no one could see.

We had such fun!
The evening was soon done.
We went to bed waiting for morning to come.

I opened my eyes to a sound most pleasant,
Rachel, Emily, Allison and Kenzie were opening presents.
We always get our stockings they said,
It's the first thing we do when we get out of bed!

Mom, with cinnamon rolls, got us fed
While Allison tried to get Dad out of bed!
She shouted, she tickled, she made her Dad grin,
Finally he said, "Okay, let Christmas begin!"

Everyone gathered around the well furnished tree,
Rachel, Santa wanted to be.
Wrapping paper piled up on the floor
While everyone got more, more and more.

Danny got Green Apple lip balm and we heard him say
I'll wrap it for Mike, who was due to come the next day.
There wer electronic toys, clothes, baskets filled with good wishes
And Mom even got Grandma's fine china dishes.

Grandpa Tom gave Grandma a diamond pendant to wear.
He likes her to know how much he does care!
One theme of the presents were the kids upcoming new rooms
And over all we could hear the PS2 guitar booms.

Dad had to work on Christmas Day too.
He dropped home once in awhile as there wasn't much new.
Mom fixed prime rib, mashed potatoes and gravy
She invited the cops and we called Mike....in the Navy.

Grandpa got to ride in Dad's police car
We all went to the movie and saw Water Horse...it wasn't far.
All in all what a great day was had
Playing with games...no one was sad.

The next day Grandpa was sick
He was laid up in bed all day...he was ticked!

Mike finally got away from work and came
He opened his presents and was heard to exclaim....
Oh, Green Apple lip balm...just what I need!
There are two here, I'll give one back as a good deed!

Zach hung out with Austin....Allison with Linsey
Grandma cleaned out her car so she could ride with Kenzie.
The dog had to get neutered and it was so sad
Zach and Austin thought losing his "manhood" was bad!

The time finally came when we had to go
We were a little worried traveling because it had started to snow.
Everyone hugged and said "good-by"
It's hard to part without wanting to cry.

Our trip home went really quite well.
We did have to go through snow for a spell.
But, we found a motel when it got dark
And traveling in the daylight was a lark!

Thanks for the memories we shared this Christmas season
Loving family, good food, fun times are the reason!!!